Tennessee's senior Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn was honored for her legislative work protecting intellectual property (IP) by the News/Media Alliance during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. Blackburn was recognized for her work championing "protection of intellectual property, particularly in pushing back against Big Tech monopolies," alongside Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, the Tennessean reports. Blackburn has introduced several bills aimed at regulating artificial intelligence (AI) and establishing legal recourse for victims of AI abuse. “Supporting content creators is at the top of my list of priorities, and we need to pass the COPIED Act, NO FAKES Act and TRAIN Act to protect against the abuse of AI,” Blackburn shared in a social media post.

New data shows that out-of-state travel for abortion declined in the first half of 2025, marking the first drop in clinic visits since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. According to Tennessee Lookout, the Guttmacher Institute report found an 8% decrease in patients traveling to states where abortion remains legal, while the use of telehealth to obtain abortion medication continues to rise. In Tennessee, where nearly all abortions are banned, 10,020 residents sought out-of-state abortions in 2024, while an additional 5,840 ended pregnancies using medication prescribed through telehealth. Telemedicine providers, protected by “shield laws” that allow them to prescribe and mail FDA-approved abortion pills anywhere in the country and protect the organization and its medical staff from out-of-state prosecution in 22 states and Washington, D.C., continue to serve patients in states with bans.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) is marking Pro Bono Month and its 60th anniversary with free legal clinics and community events throughout October. The organization, which serves 26 counties across East Tennessee, is partnering with local agencies to offer free legal advice and assistance in areas such as expungement, family law and name changes. Upcoming events include a virtual name change clinic on Oct. 16, a family law advice clinic on Oct. 28 at the Carol B. Bertz Family Justice Center in Hamilton County and ongoing expungement assistance through Oct. 31. Additional clinics will take place in Johnson City, Kingsport and Knoxville, including a debt relief clinic on Nov. 15. Pre-registration is required for select events by calling 423-402-4766. In addition to these clinics, LAET is celebrating its 60th Anniversary with two Pro Bono Night events: the first in Chattanooga on Oct. 23 at the Chattanooga Whiskey Event Hall and then in Knoxville on Nov. 13 at The Standard Knoxville. Both evenings will honor volunteer attorneys, celebrate six decades of service and raise support to ensure justice for vulnerable East Tennesseans. Sponsorships and tickets are still available. Don’t miss this chance to be part of LAET history. Get more information on these upcoming events on the LAET website or in a press release from the organization.

A list of those who passed the July 2025 Tennessee bar exam is now available. Check the TBA’s website for the complete list of successful applicants. Download the list in pdf format. Those who meet all licensing requirements will be sworn in at ceremonies across the state next month. Events are scheduled for Nov. 3 in Knoxville at the Knoxville City/County Building Main Assembly Room at 10 a.m. EDT; Nov. 4 in Nashville at the Millenium Maxwell House Grand Ballroom at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. CDT; Nov. 5 in Jackson at the Supreme Court Building at 1 p.m. CDT.; and Nov. 6 in Memphis at City Hall at 10 a.m. CDT.

The Nashville Bar Association (NBA) has released the results of a member poll of applicants being considered to fill a vacancy on the 20th Judicial District Circuit Court. The candidates rated included Audrey L. Anderson, Bethany Peery Glandorf, Harold E. Rushton, Morgan E. Smith and John Ray Wilks. The vacancy on the third circuit is due to the retirement of Judge Phillip R. Robinson. The association reports that 251 responses were received by the deadline. See the poll results in a release from the NBA. The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is set to consider the candidates at a public hearing on Oct. 17.

A federal court should set aside a new $100,000 fee imposed on H-1B workers by the Trump administration, according to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of labor unions, health care providers, academic groups, religious organizations and individual visa holders. The plaintiffs are being represented by the Justice Action Center. According to Bloomberg Law, the suit claims that the fee violates the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Administrative Procedure Act. The Trump administration says the changes are needed to discourage business from “spamming the system and driving down American wages.” President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Sept. 19 raising the fee. It later clarified the fee increase would apply only to new applicants. The Department of Homeland Security also recently announced it would look at overhauling the H-1B annual lottery process.

Local prosecutors are "drowning" in prison crime cases committed inside Tennessee's largest prison, District Attorney General Jason Lawson told members of the state Senate on Oct. 1. According to Lawson’s testimony, his office has prosecuted more than 204 offenses since 2021 — including murder, attempted murder, rape, assault, possession of contraband and indecent exposure — despite insufficient resources and policies that prevent evidence gathering. But he also said that the crimes prosecuted represent a “dramatic underestimate” of the actual offenses committed. The long-troubled facility is run by private prison operator CoreCivic and is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. Also at the hearing, Tennessee Corrections Commissioner Frank Strada told legislators that gang members incarcerated at Trousdale often bribe guards to bring contraband through security. The Tennessean has more on the story.

U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee Michael Dunavant was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Oct. 7 by a vote of 51-47. The Daily Memphian reports that the vote came on a slate of 107 nominees, including 15 other U.S. attorney nominees, ambassadors and other appointed officials. President Donald Trump nominated Dunavant in July. Dunavant returns to the office after having served as U.S. attorney during Trump’s first term of office. He previously served as district attorney general for Tennessee's 25th Judicial District, which covers Tipton, Fayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale and McNairy counties. He replaces career prosecutor Joe Murphy, who has been the interim U.S. attorney since Reagan Fondren was removed. Fondren took over after Kevin Ritz stepped down following his appointment to the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee will appoint a new full-time magistrate judge upon the retirement of Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes, effective July 31, 2026. Those interested in being considered for the position should request an application form from Chief Deputy Clerk Vicki Kinkade, 719 Church St., Ste. 1300, Nashville 37203 or download from the court’s website. Completed applications should be emailed by close of business on Nov. 14 to magistrate@tnmd.uscourts.gov. Read more about the duties of and qualifications for magistrate judges in an announcement from the court.

On Oct. 7, the Tennessee Supreme Court referred the case of Shelby County lawyer Kevin Eugene Christopher to the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR). The court reports that Christopher pled guilty to one count of assault, a Class A misdemeanor, in violation of Tenn. Code. Ann. § 39- 13-101, and one count of reckless endangerment, a Class A misdemeanor, in violation of Tenn. Code. Ann. § 39-13-103. He received diversion from the trial court.